Verizon Pantech UML 290 Will Not Connect

[jayk_s4]

Greetings jayk_s4,

The first thing I would do is change the [Dialer Verizon 4G] to [Dialer Verizon4G] (remove the space). Then use wvdial Verizon4G to start the connection.

Did you activate the device via windows before you tried to connect via Linux?

You should have received a new SIM card with the UML 290 modem. Every time I have upgraded or had a modem replaced, Verizon always sent a new SIM.

It might also be a problem with the Verizon service. I get this problem about once week now. I cannot connect to 4G for whole day.

Also, I no longer use this line: Init3 = AT+CGDCONT=3,"IPV4V6","vzwinternet","0.0.0.0",0,0

I cannot connect with that line in the config, here is my current configuration:
--RayJ

OK, thanks I will modify my script. At the moment I can't even run the script though because linux won't recognize the modem at all. I don't even have a /dev/ttyACM0.

If 4G service is down and the modem isn't forced into 3G mode, does linux just ignore the device? It is possible 4G is down in the area, it's been over 24 hours now, but maybe I just didn't notice outages before because it automatically switched to 3G.

The Pantech modem was originally activated on a windows box about a year ago. I used it in a cradlepoint router for most of that time but got lots of disconnects from the router. Then I bought a LG VL600 from ebay with no SIM card and moved my SIM card into the LG modem and then updated the IMEI or MEID at verizonwireless. This worked a little better but still disconnected. I had to throttle it to lower than 3G speeds to keep it connected. Apparently the USB device on the cradlepoint can't handle high speeds very well. That is why I decided to put it in my linux box and use that as the router.

I couldn't get the LG device to connect so I moved the SIM card back into the Pantech. And you know the rest of the story after that. The only difference is that i didn't update verizonwireless this time with the correct device ID that is being used with the SIM card. Verizon still thinks I have a LG modem rather than the Pantech. Maybe they detected that and turned off my 4G access?

Thanks for the help!

[raywjohnson]

OK, thanks I will modify my script. At the moment I can't even run the script though because linux won't recognize the modem at all. I don't even have a /dev/ttyACM0.

Check for any /dev/ttyACM (sometimes mine shows up as /dev/ttyACM1). If you not getting any listing, then I would say the modem is the problem.

Try: (without the modem plugged in)
dmesg | grep -i tty

then plugin and wait a few seconds, and run again:
dmesg | grep -i tty

You should see:
cdc_acm 2-1.1:1.0: ttyACM0: USB ACM device

Also, does the light on the modem ever flash blue? If not, then it is not able to communicate with the Verizon hight speed node (cell tower).

If 4G service is down and the modem isn't forced into 3G mode, does linux just ignore the device?

It will simply not connect. That is why I have both a [Dialer Verizon3G] and a [Dialer Verizon4G] in the config.

It is possible 4G is down in the area, it's been over 24 hours now, but maybe I just didn't notice outages before because it automatically switched to 3G.

When I have called Verizon about suspected outages, they never admit to that problem. They always blame the modem.

The Pantech modem was originally activated on a windows box about a year ago. I used it in a cradlepoint router for most of that time but got lots of disconnects from the router. Then I bought a LG VL600 from ebay with no SIM card and moved my SIM card into the LG modem and then updated the IMEI or MEID at verizonwireless. This worked a little better but still disconnected. I had to throttle it to lower than 3G speeds to keep it connected. Apparently the USB device on the cradlepoint can't handle high speeds very well. That is why I decided to put it in my linux box and use that as the router.

I couldn't get the LG device to connect so I moved the SIM card back into the Pantech. And you know the rest of the story after that. The only difference is that i didn't update verizonwireless this time with the correct device ID that is being used with the SIM card. Verizon still thinks I have a LG modem rather than the Pantech. Maybe they detected that and turned off my 4G access?

What I suspect is the SIM card is messed up. You may need to call Verizon and have them send you a new one.

Thanks for the help!

No problem.

--RayJ

[jayk_s4]

Just thought I'd give an update... I went on vacation for a week and tried to put all this behind me, when I got back 4G still wasn't working. So I called Verizon and they had me go through some diagnostic stuff and then said they thought it was something wrong with the tower, so they're sending somebody out to check on it.

In the meantime, I was messing around tonight and decided to re-install the latest vzam and firmware for the Pantech modem, and voila! 4G was back using access manager. I then updated my dial-up connection to use 4G settings (still on windows) and that worked for 4G as well.

So I guess it's possible that Verizon just now fixed their tower or whatever was wrong with 4G, but I suspect it was the fresh firmware that fixed whatever was wrong with it.

So that's the good news. The bad news is that on Linux it still doesn't work. When I plug in the modem I don't get a ttyACM0 or ttyUSB0. I get a bunch of messages in dmesg about disconnecting it immediately after it is connected the first time. After that nothing happens.

I even downgraded back to the 3.0.0-17 kernel and it is even worse. Sometimes it will recognize the modem once, but if remove it and re-insert it the linux box will crash or hang.

To finish the loop, I plugged the modem back into my windows vista box, and it still works.

[raywjohnson]

Did you check to make sure your Network Manager is not trying to create a connection?

Right click on the Network Manager and click Edit Connections. The select the Mobile Broadband tab. Delete any entries. Or edit them to not auto connect.

Also, look for other ID numbers for the modem in /dev (when mine acts flaky, it is usually because it got assigned ttyACM1 instead of ttyACM0).

--RayJ

[ahsscott77]

Hello,

I have been trying to use your instructions to connect with the UML 290.

I'm running 12.04.

The output from pppd is below. Is says that it connects but I am never able to actually connect to the internet.

Any help is very much appreciated.


--> Cannot get information for serial port.
--> Initializing modem.
--> Sending: ATZ
ATZ
OK
--> Sending: AT Q0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
OK
--> Modem initialized.
--> Sending: atdt*99***3#
--> Waiting for carrier.
atdt*99***3#
CONNECT 100000000
--> Carrier detected. Starting PPP immediately.
--> Starting pppd at Thu Feb 15 17:15:53 2001
--> Pid of pppd: 21640
--> Using interface ppp0
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> local IP address 10.186.95.1
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> remote IP address 10.64.64.64
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> primary DNS address 66.174.95.44
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> secondary DNS address 66.174.71.33
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> Connect time 10.0 minutes.
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> pppd:
--> [7f]
--> Disconnecting at Thu Feb 15 17:26:00 2001
--> The PPP daemon has died: A modem hung up the phone (exit code = 16)

[raywjohnson]

I will do what I can to help!

I get that sometimes as well. I usually figure it is just Verizon.

Did you setup the device via Windowz? Make sure its firmware is updated?

Is the light on your Pantech UML 290 flashing blue or red?

If red, then the device is not talking to the Verizon network.

If blue, try unplugging it, wait a few seconds, the plug in again. Wait for the light to flash blue. Then try to connect.

--RayJ

[raywjohnson]

Final Update...

I found the best solution: cancel Verizon and go with Clear. They have a wireless "hot spot" device that does not require any connection software. It is just a secure router.

Got my device today. Connected my Ubuntu laptop and Android phone, no problem. Same speed and cost as Verizon, but no annal contract and no bandwidth limits.

--RayJ

[raywjohnson]

Of note: I plugged the device (Voyager) in (via USB) to keep it powered. What I did not know is that it is detected as a USB "wired" wifi device! Network Manager connected to it without me having to do a thing. Nice...


--RayJ